KEIGHLEY'S jobless total has fallen again.

The number of claimants in the Parliamentary constituency, which includes Ilkley, last month dropped by 15 – or 1.4 per cent – to 1,055.

Shipley, which includes Cullingworth and Denholme, saw a drop of 50 – 5.3 per cent – to 890.

Across the Bradford district, unemployment is now at its lowest level this year.

Figures for June dropped by 1.6 per cent on the previous month to 8,975.

Compared to the same time last year, the total has fallen by one per cent.

The district is bucking the regional and national trend.

In Yorkshire and Humber the claimant count last month was 76,863, a rise of 301 on May. And nationally the figure was 828,952, a rise of 0.7 per cent on the previous month.

The data, from the Office of National Statistics, includes both people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance and those claiming Universal Credit benefits principally for unemployment reasons.

Catherine Monaghan, a Jobcentre partnership manager, said: "I think this drop locally is a combination of the number of vacancies that are available, and the work being done in Jobcentres supporting jobseekers.

"I see no reason why the figures won't keep going down. There are lots of vacancies and work experience opportunities, and the Christmas recruitment process will also begin soon."